The Catholic community of St. Mary’s parish in East Islip (New York) experienced moments of consternation after the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus located in front of the church appeared decapitated just hours before the First Communion celebrations.
The faithful discovered the damage last Sunday morning, just as numerous families were beginning to arrive at the parish.
The head of the statue was found among some bushes
According to Long Island News 12, the pastor of St. Mary’s, Father Anthony Iaconis, explained that the scene was discovered shortly after a funeral held at the church.
“I saw several people gathered around,” the priest recounted. Shortly afterward, they confirmed that the head of the statue had been torn off.
According to the pastor himself, the head was later found among some bushes near the church.
The Sacred Heart statue was also one of the usual spots where families took photographs during First Communion celebrations, which further increased the emotional impact among the parishioners.
Police investigate a possible hate crime
The case was taken up by the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit, which immediately opened an investigation to locate the perpetrator.
Two days later, authorities confirmed the arrest of a 41-year-old woman identified as Deyonna Subert, charged with criminal damage for the partial destruction of the religious statue.
For now, authorities have not officially confirmed whether they will file specific hate crime charges, although the investigation remains open under that specialized unit.
“We also pray for the person who did this”
The pastor asked for prayers for the person responsible for the attack. “It’s something terrible,” he said. “But we also must pray for the person who did this.”
Meanwhile, numerous parishioners have begun leaving flowers at the feet of the damaged statue as a gesture of reparation and prayer. In addition, the parish has begun receiving donations to restore the statue, whose repair could be completed in the coming days.